


I’ve also been waiting an awful long time

by shortcake15



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-12
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-03-03 20:34:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13349031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shortcake15/pseuds/shortcake15
Summary: It was too bad Revali had always been convinced that Link and Zelda were a couple, he ended up missing far too many little hints.It was too bad that he never listened to Mipha- it could have done him so much good.And it was too bad that Windblight Ganon could knock him straight out of the air.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was in the mood for Revalink, and wanted a darker change after the Revalink Diaries, so here you go! This will have three chapters overall, hope you enjoy them all!

     He tried to forget, he tried to aim, but then the scene replayed itself in his mind, a never-ending taunt, and he missed the target completely.

     All Revali had wanted was to hurry to the meeting, nothing more, but _of course_ there was a bench along the path there, and _of course_ Link and Zelda had chosen that bench of all benches for their little conversation.

     Well, to be fair, it was more like a loud display of laughter than a proper conversation. They didn’t pause for a second when he walked by- in fact, he could have sworn they got _louder_. For Hylia’s sake, did they have _any_ shame?

     Still, what should he have expected? They made a natural couple. And it wasn’t like he had any sort of chance with Link when The Only Real Conversation, Which Was Barely A Conversation At All™ they had was about the weather.

    _Oh, yes, it gets quite cold in the village. Especially in the winter. Usually, visitors need special clothes to keep warm. But it isn’t terrible- unlike Goron City, where the air literally burns around you. My advice is never to go anywhere near it. Feel free to thank me in advance, or-_ and that was when the Princess came out of the Elder’s room, finished with her meeting _-never mind, just go._

     What in the world had he been thinking?

     He hadn’t given up as a child, when he proudly stated his goal and the village fledglings laughed. He haven’t given up as a warrior, when his special move wasn’t working well enough. He hadn’t given up as a Champion, when Medoh wouldn’t obey him. But _now_ , some random Hylian with an unfair sword and an even more unfair smile was making him want to just quit. Pack up his belongings, run away from everything, and stay in an abandoned cave somewhere, hunting small animals for food…or something like that. The details could be debated later, after evil was defeated.

     Ridiculous ideas aside, what _was_ left for him? The fight against Ganon was coming, sooner rather than later. If things went according to plan, Hyrule would be saved. Zelda’s father would step down, leaving her as queen, and- what if she made Link her king? _Oh, Hylia,_ Revali would probably be invited to the wedding, and the following coronation.

      _Different topic, different topic…_

     Maybe he would teach archery after it was all over, he mused (pretending not to hear the voice inside whispering how empty that life sounded). If he could pass on even half of his skills to his students, he would be praised for it…

     The next arrow hit straight in the middle of the target, and he tried to convince himself that it was a good omen.

     “Nice shot!”

     He would know that voice anywhere, even though he rarely heard it in real life.  
     “Link? What are you doing here?”

     If only he could hear the Hylian’s thoughts of _I came to see you, actually_ and _I like watching you train-well, I like just watching you in general_ and _I wanted to talk to you properly before we go to fight Ganon_ , because his actual reply was much less eloquent. “Er…archery practice! That’s right, I’m here for archery practice….”

     “I suppose I should thank you for choosing the Flight Range, but doesn’t the princess have a better place for that? Wouldn’t you rather be spending time with her?”

     “Zelda? Why would you...Zelda and I are just friends, you know!”

     “If you say so,” he said in disbelief, turning around for another shot. But Link still didn’t even have his bow out. “Well, don’t let me stop you.”

     He shook his head. “No, no, that’s not it. Revali, I…”

     “What is it?” Revali would be lying if he claimed that he was his usual composed self at this moment. The following pause was the most stressful of his life (and Link’s too).

     “I-I need to borrow a bow, mine is back at the castle…” he finally finished, and Revali was too busy kicking himself for thinking it could be _anything_ different to notice how flustered Link had become.


	2. Chapter 2

     This was a meeting that Revali should have skipped. That much was clear when he walked in- perfectly on time- on the other Champions, already chatting and sharing a large plate of onigiri.

     “I’m not late, you know.”

     They all fell silent at his angry glare.

     “Why was I not informed of the change in the start time?”

     Nobody responded.

     “What’s going on?”

     Link whispered something, eyes shining ( _really, Revali? shining? you’re hopeless_ ) with amusement, to Zelda, who started laughing, and pretty soon the other three had joined in.

     “If this is supposed be a joke at my expense, it isn’t funny.”

     Still no response, and still no hint towards the withheld information.

     “Since this is obviously not the meeting I was invited to, I’ll have to go and search for it.” He whirled around and stormed out of the room, annoyed and - honestly? - a bit hurt, though he would never admit it.

      ~~he shouldn’t have pretended not to hear Link’s soft _wait_~~

* * *

 

     Out of everyone, it had to be _Mipha_ who confronted him. _Mipha!_ The only one who was even _more_ obvious than he was! It made him _sick_.

     “You _know_ they were just messing with you! We’re a _team_ , we have to work _together_ , so you can’t just run off! You’re a Champion too!”

      _And that’s the problem,_ he wanted to say.

     “I can be a Champion on my own. If you can’t, go back to Link- that is, if you can get him away from Zelda.”

     “Since when do-wait a second.” Mipha paused for a moment, studying his expression. “You’re _jealous_.”

     “That is a ridiculous assumption and completely incorrect-”

     “Of how much time he spends with the princess. Even though he-”

     “The only jealous one here is _you_. I _still_ can’t believe you really made that armor just to get rejected.”

     That forced Mipha to pause, muttering _better off than you, how dare you,_ and he felt just a bit guilty on how quickly and how well it had worked. Perhaps he should use slightly less targeted insults next time.

     He considered apologizing- until she replied properly.

     “At least I’m _honest_ about my feelings. You _need_ to tell him, before it’s too late.”

      ~~but too late had already come~~

* * *

 

     He should have listened to her- tracked Link down, talked to him for real, been _honest_ and _open_ for once in his life.

     Instead, like any coward would, he made the long flight home, to sit alone on top of his Divine Beast.

     Medoh couldn’t give advice.

     Medoh didn’t provide that comfortable of a place to rest.

     Medoh, after all, was merely a weapon for the fight against Ganon.

     But there was something calming about slowly, slowly circling around Rito Village from above.

     “Is Mipha right?” he asked nobody in particular (Medoh or the night sky would suffice if he had to be specific)

     The only reply was from the wind, getting louder and stronger, almost as if it too was laughing at him.

     His first thought was _no, no way, she doesn’t understand, I can’t,_ but if that was the case, what had that awfully strange meeting at the Flight Range been?

      _A completely wasted opportunity, that’s what._

     “Maybe tomorrow…things will change, I’ll do _something_ , I don’t know.”

      ~~oh, things did change; he would definitely do _something_ , just not what he thought~~

* * *

 

     “What do you mean, _Link’s not here?_ He spends far too much time here! He’s _always_ here!”

     “Not today. Right now, he’s accompanying the Princess on her trip to the Spring of Wisdom.”

     “All right, so when are they getting back?”

     “We don’t know that.”

     “You _don’t know_? They’re your Champion and Princess and you _don’t know_ when they’re getting back?”

     “That’s about right.”

     “The royal family has _terrible_ security…”

     “If it helps, Lady Mipha, Lady Urbosa, and Lord Daruk are waiting at the Lanayru East Gate for them to return.”

     “Fine.”

      ~~he waited and waited but when they did come back nothing good came out of it~~

      ~~he never did get that chance to talk to Link~~


	3. Chapter 3

     One tornado, and it was all over.

     Revali supposed it was fitting, to die in a gust of wind that almost- but not quite -resembled the updraft from his signature move.

     It would have been nice to have some serious, profound last words, but the only thing he could think (besides a long string of curses) was _who with an ounce of sense would create a monster with a tornado-building cannon in its right arm? Imagine the chaos if it got loose!_

     Well, that and _Link had better be alright._

     But, try as he might, he couldn’t picture a single hero destroying Ganon by himself.

      _No, this is Link, he can do it._

_He’s always been lucky as well as strong._

_I hope-_

     The thought was lost, drowned out in a flood of others.

* * *

       Mipha’s tiny body covered in puncture wounds, drifting slowly across a pool of murky water  
     Daruk crumbled into a heap that, from a distance, would be mistaken for nothing more than a pile of rocks  
     Urbosa, appearing far smaller than she had been in life, collapsed in a puddle of her own blood with her shield and scimitar still beside her

      _So we really did fail..._

     A tiny fledgling was asked what he wanted to be when he got older, and got only laughs and taunts when he replied that he would be the _best_ archer in the _entire_ village.  
      _How can a nobody with no parents and no friends become the best?_  
     There was a forced smirk and _Because that nobody is me,_ but once he was alone, he started to cry.

      A new Champion let his fancy title get to his head, and tried to catch a certain knight’s attention at the Landing with a painfully awkward display of his special move. _Impressive, I know._  
     He didn’t get any sort of reaction out of it, and ended up flying off to Medoh to sulk.

     A lonely warrior was knocked straight out of the air, cursing the Calamity and cursing his weakness as he fell, forever unable to meet his own expectations.

      _No, no, stop, that’s enough!_  
  
     The signature red laser of a Guardian, tearing straight through its target  
     The long sought-after sealing power, finally awakening far too late  
     The princess crying over her knight’s lifeless body

      _I GET IT, WE LOST, SO STOP! NO MORE!_

     Mercifully, it ended with two Sheikah men laying Link down into a tub of pure blue water, leaving what had once been the Rito Champion to wander Vah Medoh until he woke up.

* * *

      And he did wake up- 100 years later. Revali felt his presence instantly, despite having no way to see beyond the Beast and no way to tell it apart from wishful thinking.

     Day after day passed, and no one came to free him. His new hope was starting to fade, and he was about to admit that the feeling was probably nothing but his imagination after all when _something_ (a bomb arrow, based on the violent impact) hit Medoh’s side.

      _Don’t get too excited,_ he reminded himself, _it might not even be him,_ but he couldn’t help but quiver in anticipation after every shot.

     After a particularly strong hit, everything stopped, and for a second, Revali thought whoever it was outside had given up. Then, someone must have brought a Slate, because doors opened, and _oh, Hylia,_ Link’s smile was just as adorable as he remembered.

      _Well now, I’ve seen that face before…_

_I had a feeling you would show up eventually. But making me wait a hundred years is a bit…indulgent._

* * *

      One thing became clear as Revali guided Link through Medoh. He was definitely missing something - even though the way he walked or held his sword or rejoiced at every treasure chest was achingly familiar, he looked at Medoh like it was from an alien planet, and got the strangest expression whenever he heard Revali’s voice.

     It was simply because he was trying to compare the subtle encouragement he was receiving now with the only memory he had recovered of the Rito Champion and finding the two completely different, but how was Revali supposed to know that?

      _So_ , with true Champion dedication, he kept all his burning questions inside, focused on the terminals, made a few bird puns……and nearly broke his calm facade for good when the monster showed up.

     He _knew_ it should have been expected, and he _knew_ Link could beat it, but that didn’t stop him from getting afraid.

 _You must avenge me,_ he cried out, and soon enough, just that had been done.

     Finally, Revali was free.

     After an overly pompous speech (hey, he had earned the right to it after 100 years), he granted the power to perform his special move to Link, and the power to assist in the fight against Ganon to himself and Medoh.

      _It’s now time to move on and start making preparations for Medoh’s strike on Ganon. But only if you think you’ll still need my help when you’re fighting inside Hyrule Castle._

      ~~Say you will, so I can be useful for once!~~

      _Feel free to thank me now! Or…_

     Or stay a little longer, tell me how your journey’s been so far, how people are doing after the Calamity, what you remember from 100 years ago, ~~what you remember about me~~ …

      _…never mind, just go._

     A golden light had already started to steal him away- back to the world of the living, and back to the quest to rescue Zelda…the only one who wasn’t already beyond saving.

      _The princess has been waiting an awful long time…_

     In a moment, he had fully disappeared, leaving Revali alone again- as he deserved. 

    _…and so have I._

* * *

      _Now, my moment has finally come._  
      _Brace yourself, Ganon, for the sting of my revenge!  
     You won’t lay so much as a feather on anyone I love again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did mark it “major character death” and use certain lines to foreshadow, starting from the first chapter, so Revali’s fate shouldn’t have been a surprise.
> 
> ANYWAY, complete departure from the mood of the story, I’d like to use this note to thank everyone who has shown support on this and all of my works through your kind kudos and comments! They mean a lot to me, especially since I’m new to AO3! Thank you all so much ;)


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